how do you like your miracles ?

grandiose ? sweeping ? brazen ?

secret ? hushed ? hidden away ?

noisy, with puffs of smoke and flashes of light ?

or earthly, humble, even sensual ?

i’ll tell you: i prefer the latter. i prefer the miracles you can touch and taste and get inside of

over the spectacular ones you only hear about.

and yesterday, i came upon a miracle-maker.

he’s friendly, and passionate, and down to earth.

in fact, he spends most of his time in the earth, bringing life to wonderful,

and long-missed aromas and flavors.

he makes magic happen, and the list is long: fresh rosemary, thyme, cilantro (!), flat parsley, curly parsley, sage, 3 varieties of basil, scallions, chives, arugula (!)  …

and fronds of fennel silky enough to coax superlatives from your lips.

he’s got lavender, citronella, and 3 types of mint, and more and more and more.

i stood in his field, jaw hanging, enjoying an olfactory adventure i haven’t known for years as he handed me leaf after leaf to inhale.

this is my kind of miracle, this is my brand of joy.

what’s yours ?

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If you’re in Bamako and wishing for some of these

miracles, call

Vincent, in Badalabougou:

+223 74 58 31 80